Commentary:
The criticisms or critiques of our critics are the practical tests of our practices of the four foundations of mindfulness or the wisdom of Chan or Zen. The practice of non-aversion towards harsh speeches, disparaging remarks, abuses, insults, humiliations and so forth is the power of equanimity. Without the power of equanimity, it is not possible to absorb our anger or hatred and practise boundless or non-discriminative loving-kindness, compassion and appreciative joys. Only the power of equanimity enables one to remain unperturbed, calm and composed under all situations or circumstance of adversities. Only with spiritual wisdom can one love one’s neighbours like loving oneself and even the loving the enemies without vengeance.
Therefore, the verbal or non-verbal attacks of our enemies are blessings to us as far as spiritual cultivation is concerned. A life of roses is not ideal for cultivation. Therefore, when enemies speak ill of us, they offer golden opportunities for us to practise endurance or tolerance mindfully and heedfully and most importantly to put into practice genuine equanimity. Genuine equanimity is constructed upon the accomplishment of the perfection of wisdom. Mere moral restraint or mental suppression is not sufficient or adequate power to maintain or preserve the power of non-discriminative equanimity.
Therefore, the enemies can become our spiritual friends who help us progress in our Dharma cultivation and maturation. Criticisms and disparaging remarks of our enemies invigorate our practice of heedfulness and mindfulness in order to guard our six sense doors well. The six sense gates can only be securely guarded with the perfection of wisdom of Chan or Zen practice. If we can accept slanders and abuses, we can also practise compassion for our enemies. In this sense, a good practitioner should thank his or her enemies. The unborn refers to the absolute essence which is Nirvāṇa.
The Nirvāṇa is the human innate supremacy called Buddha-nature or the original Great Perfection. The equanimous flow of great compassion bears witness to the intuitive knowledge of the absolute essence of the Buddha-nature existing innately in all human beings. What is manifested externally reflects the inner mind of a practitioner. Unconditioned and selfless compassion mirrors the manifestation of the Buddha-mind or the Unborn. The Unborn is the no-mind state of a enlightened One. The no-mind does mean the death of human consciousness. It connotes that the false mind is dead and the true mind or true Self is redeemed. One dies before one dies. The Unborn is the true mind or true Self. The universal Self is redeemed when the false self or ego is annihilated by the perfection of wisdom.
The principal goal of redeeming oneself and retuning to the origin of the unborn Nirvāṇa is to entirely annihilate the illusive-self or ego and to develop oneself into a Perfect Man called a Bodhisattva or Buddha. A Perfect Man, the Bodhisattva, is a fully qualified Dharma instructor and trainer to awaken human beings from the sleep of ignorance. Ignorance is the root cause of greed, hatred and delusion. The Bodhisattva is a supreme master, a perfect image of the Buddha. He is the apostle of the Buddha.
